It took me a while to embrace the “Runner” pseudonym and define myself as a “Runner”. I love to run, I run a lot and I cover a lot of ground but it took a while for me to identify myself as a runner. I had no background or experience in running therefore I did not think of myself as a runner and didn’t think that I had earned the title. It wasn’t until I had a completed a few marathons, including the Boston Marathon, that I really began telling people I was a runner. Defining myself as a runner was a slow transition. It began by not disagreeing with people, including strangers, when they asked if I was a runner or told other people I was runner. Now I describe myself as a runner and love being called a runner because of the great connotation that comes with being a runner and being a member of the running community within our society.
One of the great things about running is the sense of community between runners. Running is an independent sport and your toughest competitor is yourself. I prefer to run by myself rather than with a running partner or group, however, I love the sense of community and the mutual understanding and respect amongst runners. It is the encouragement, support and energy from other runners that creates this strong sense of community that I love and which is but one reason why I love defining myself as a “Runner”.
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